1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a ripple and foam creation apparatus and method using fluid particle data, and more particularly, to an apparatus and method for representing a more detailed result of a water simulation for animations or movies by analyzing water particle data, creating ripples using the water particle data, creating foam using information of particle speeds and a curvature of a water surface included in the water particle data, and moving and removing the created ripples and foam over time.
2. Description of the Related Art
Researches on fluids such as water and gases have been actively conducted in various fields. Particularly, hydrodynamics, as well as graphics, is being applied to the visual industry in various manners, and its application range is also expanding.
However, even if the hydrodynamics is used, it is still difficult to create complicated natural phenomena. This is because most of systems are controlled by solutions of complicated equations and parameters corresponding to a specific situation.
Thus, because of properties of fluid that can variously react even to subtle changes of surroundings, it is not easy to precisely model and simulate fluid flow into a desired form. In computer graphics it is difficult, yet interesting to represent irregular natural phenomena such as water movements, gas flow, and shape changes of cloud.
As water expression has recently been considered important in various movies and animations, many technologies associated with the water expression are being developed. However, most of the technologies are merely about water movements or interactions with other objects under limited conditions, and the latest technology is merely on a simulation of droplet movements on a surface of an object. Since details in many parts of the water expression fail to meet users' demands, there are many difficulties in producing an animation.